Adolescence as a pivotal period for emotion regulation development. (April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silvers, Jennifer A.
• Is Part Of: Current opinion in psychology. Volume 44(2022)
• Page Start: 258
• Page End: 263
• Publication Date: 2022-04
• Subjects: Emotion regulation -- Neurodevelopment -- Caregiving -- Adolescence; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.09.023
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-250X

Abstract

Abstract: Adolescence is a dynamic period for the development of emotion regulation. For many individuals, emotion regulation skills improve dramatically during adolescence; however, for some youth, adolescence marks the beginning or worsening of psychopathology characterized by difficulties with emotion regulation. In the present review, I describe evidence that caregiving experiences play an outsized role in shaping interindividual variability in emotion regulation during adolescence. After describing work demonstrating links between caregiving – with an emphasis on parental socialization practices – and emotion regulation outcomes, I characterize our current understanding of how behavioral and neurobiological indices of emotion regulation develop normatively across adolescence. Using cognitive reappraisal as an exemplar emotion regulation strategy, I outline ways that caregiving might impact interindividual variability in emotion regulation neurodevelopment. I conclude by identifying two key future directions for adolescent emotion regulation research.